Irresistible
by lovelycaptain
Summary: Charlotte Notting. Bright, charming, and rich. Dallas Winston. Dark, dangerous, and a Greaser. When Charlotte Notting moves to Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her family after an unspeakable tragedy, she isn't expecting to find much. Her eyes are set on graduating high school, getting married, and starting a family. Then, she meets the Greaser boys, and nothing will ever be the same.
1. One: New Beginnings

"Darling, wake up. We're here!"

Charlotte Notting's eyes flew open. She blinked sleepily at her mother, who was already climbing out of the car and approaching the front porch of their new house. Charlotte, after checking to make sure her chocolate lab, Lily Belle, was properly leashed, stretched, adjusted her skirt, and stepped out of the car and into the sunlight.

Her first impression of the house was that it was much smaller than their old place in New York. The white paneling was now leaning towards an unpleasant light brown color, and the front porch was surely in danger of falling apart, but Charlotte couldn't deny its charm. All of the houses she'd ever lived in in New York had been new builds, cookie cutter replicas of the ones next door. Looking up and down the street, Charlotte knew that wasn't the case here.

Her mother, a small woman with chocolate brown hair that was slowly fading into grey, had already disappeared into the house. She was no doubt already planning a furniture shopping trip, to which Charlotte inwardly sighed. Charlotte's father was unloading the family station wagon of the few possessions they had managed to bring.

"Come, Lily Belle," Charlotte called. She'd kept a close eye on her dog, but there really wasn't a need. The entire front yard was surrounded by a chain link fence.

Lily Belle was running excitedly around the yard, yapping loudly every time a car went whizzing past. They hadn't had a proper yard in New York, so Charlotte had grown used to walking her dog on a leash in the park near their house.

"Charlotte," she turned away from the sight of Lily Belle chasing a butterfly to face her father. "Will you come here for a moment?"

"Yes, Daddy." Charlotte approached the car, leaning lightly against the open trunk. "What is it?"

Her father, a respectable looking man with graying hair and the most ridiculous mustache you could imagine, shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat before speaking. "Like I was telling your mother earlier, I know this house is smaller than what we're used to. Given the situation, though, and the tragedy we've been through with Emma-"

Charlotte cut her father off, the subject of her dear deceased sister still too much for her to bear. "Yes, Daddy. I know, you've told me this before. This is just temporary, we'll be back in New York by summertime, all that." Charlotte attempted a half-smile before hugging her father quickly. She reached around him, fingers searching for the handle of her duffel bag, and darted inside.

As soon as the front door closed behind her, Charlotte let out a sigh. She knew her parents were worried about her; all it took was one look at their faces to see it. But it wasn't that it was simply hard for her to discuss her sister, it was downright impossible. Just the thought of Emma's name sent Charlotte into a whirlwind of panicked emotions ranging from shock to guilt to sadness. It had only been a month and a half since the accident. It was still too soon. In fact, Charlotte didn't think she'd ever be able to talk about Emma without bursting into tears.

Charlotte quietly climbed the staircase so as to find her room without interference from her mother. While her father had been giving Charlotte space over the past few weeks, her mother was a whole other story. Any time Charlotte so much as frowned her mother was on top of her, offering tea and soup and unhelpful advice. It was exhausting to have to constantly worry about her mother along with herself. She meant well, Charlotte knew, but it was impossible for her to do anything on her own anymore.

Upon finding her new bedroom, Charlotte threw her duffle bag down on the ground and began digging through its contents for her case of toiletries and a fresh outfit. Her current dress, a sweet light pink number with a peter pan collar, was rumpled from the long drive and too warm for the stuffy spring air in Tulsa. She settled on a emerald green skirt that hit just at her knees and a short-sleeved blouse. Her mother would most likely make some sort of comment about her clothing choices, Charlotte knew, but she honestly couldn't care less just then.

The first of two bathrooms was just down the hall from Charlotte's bedroom. It was much smaller than her own bathroom at their old house, but it had all the basic amenities, so it was enough. Charlotte unpacked all of her toiletries into the cabinets and drawers and freshened up her makeup. She hadn't applied much that day, just a light layer of foundation, blush, mascara, and lip gloss, in anticipation of the car ride. She fluffed up her dark brown hair, though there wasn't much fluffing to be done, as her stick-straight locks stuck flat to her head in the humidity.

"Wonderful," Charlotte muttered, giving up on fitting her mother's standards of beauty. She swiped on one last coat of pink lip gloss and headed back to her room.

As they currently didn't have any furniture, Charlotte laid out on the floor, ignoring the fact that the carpet looked like it hadn't been vacuumed in months. The room wasn't much, Charlotte thought as she looked around the space. The walls were in desperate need of a painting (she was thinking a nice blue) and the windows needed a good cleaning, but it had potential.

Charlotte closed her eyes and reveled in the rare moment of peace. She was grateful to finally have some alone time after being cooped up with her parents for who knows how many hours. During the long car ride to Tulsa, she hadn't had a moments silence except the sweet three hours in which she napped. It was berating from her mother, or lectures from her father, and Charlotte wasn't sure how much more she could handle.

It wasn't that Charlotte was upset, per se, about leaving her upper-class life in New York and moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma. On the contrary, she was rather relieved. Staying in New York and facing the questions and rumors would have been pure torture. So yes, in a way Charlotte was happy for the change of scenery. If only Emma was along for the ride...

But if Emma was alive, they wouldn't be in Tulsa, Charlotte knew. She pushed the thoughts of her sister into the tiny box in the corner of her mind, the one where she kept all of her Emma-related thoughts nowadays. Charlotte knew she had to focus on the present, if not for her sake for her parents. What she needed was a nice, long walk to clear her head. Not to mention, it would give her the perfect chance to explore the town that would be her home for the next few months. With that in mind Charlotte bounded down the stairs to find her mother.

She was standing primly in the middle of the brightly lit kitchen, observing the space. "Oh, Charlotte, there you are! I was just telling your father how much shopping you and I need to do tomorrow. Oh, and dear, don't you think a nice little breakfast table would look just darling in this corner? Your father doesn't seem to agree with me, but I- Charlotte? Are you quite alright?"

Only then did Charlotte realize that she'd been staring off into space, completely ignoring her mother. "Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am. I think it's a splendid idea." Charlotte hesitated. "And Mother, do you think it would be alright if I went out for a bit? I'm in desperate need of some fresh air."

Charlotte's stomach knotted as her mother's previously calm expression twisted into one of disbelief. She was silly to think that her mother would consider letting her have a moment's peace. The woman hardly felt comfortable letting Charlotte out of her sight when they were at convenience stores, much less a new town that had quite the reputation for violence.

"Charlotte! Do you really think that is a wise idea? Haven't you listened to anything your father and I have told you about this town? It's very improper for a young woman like you to go wandering around alone at night, and much less in an area that you hardly know! I shudder to think of what you can see on the streets at this time of day. Why, I-"

Charlotte sensed a lecture on responsibilities and ladyship coming on, and she was not in the right state-of-mind to deal with it. "Okay, I'm sorry I asked. God forbid I, at sixteen years old, try to do something on my own." She turned on her heel and began to walk away, but her mother reached out a hand and grabbed a hold of her wrist.

"Charlotte Elizabeth Notting, I cannot believe you would dare to speak to one of your elders like that! I don't know what had gotten into you, but if you think for one second that I am going to put up with your smart mouth then you've got another thing coming-"

Charlotte opened her mouth to retort, but her father, who had just reentered the house, beat her to it. "Jane, calm down, you're going to upset yourself. Let the girl take a look around town. She's sixteen, darling, not a baby anymore. Besides, if we're going to be here for a while Charlotte needs to learn how to handle herself on her own."

Charlotte felt a rush of gratitude for her father and beamed at him. He was always the rational parent, balancing out Jane's harshness with his good nature. Besides Emma, he was Charlotte's biggest supporter. Now, she supposed, he was her only one.

"Oh, Daddy, thank you! I promise I'll be safe, and if I do need anything, I'll duck inside the nearest store and use their telephone. And besides, I'm sure things have changed since you and Mother were kids." Charlotte smiled reassuringly.

Charlotte kissed her father on the cheek and patted her mother's hand before skipping out of the kitchen. She was nearly out the front door when her father's voice reached her ears.

"Charlotte, take Lily Belle with you, and remember to stay away from the East side! Use your sense!"

Charlotte inwardly rolled her eyes, but she put on a chipper voice and called to her father, "Yes, Daddy!" After grabbing her sunglasses and a wide hat from the station wagon, she called for Lily Belle and set off.

The weather was unusually warm for a day in April, but Charlotte didn't mind much. She hadn't had a decent break from her overbearing parents in weeks, it seemed. After the fire that had taken Emma's life, the grieving family had stayed in a hotel until their funds began running dangerously low. The fire had burnt their house down completely, leaving nothing but ash, heartbreak, and a large sum of money lost. Between that and the failure of Charlotte's father's business, the family had been forced to admit defeat and move back to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jane and William Notting didn't hold a lot of love for the town, but with no living relatives or close family friends, it had seemed like their only option.

Charlotte reflected on all of this as she ambled down the street. It was only when dusk was approaching did she realize that she not only had no idea of how to get home, but she had also stumbled into the part of town her father and mother had warned her about.


	2. Two: Call

Charlotte couldn't believe her own stupidity. If only she'd paid attention to where she was going, if she'd bothered to consult a map before arriving in Tulsa... This could have all been so easily avoided. But no, she had figured that her parents would do all of the hard stuff for her, and all she had to do was show up and socialize, like usual.

Charlotte tugged on Lily Belle's leash, urging the young chocolate lab to pick up the pace and quit stopping to sniff every tree and bush they walked by. She knew that she was being silly, acting terrified of some southern hoodlums. After all, she'd lived in New York, of all places. She should be used to dealing with the rough sorts. But her mother had always made sure she was sheltered from the "distasteful" side of life, one Charlotte hadn't even known existed until she was fourteen and saw crowds of ragged homeless people lined up outside a soup kitchen.

She had stayed away from that part of town after that incident.

"Come on, Lily Belle!" Charlotte snapped, but the dog refused to move.

Lily Belle was intently sniffing a rose bush in someone's yard, oblivious to her master's frustration. Charlotte sighed, and doing something that she hadn't thought herself capable of doing, lifted the nearly fifty pound dog and continued on down the street at a much, much slower pace than before.

Though Charlotte was straining under the dog's weight, she couldn't help but laugh at the thought of what her mother would do if she could see her. Most likely, the woman would begin chiding her daughter on proper manners for a young lady and how she was going to muss her dress and God knows what else. And possibly have a heart attack at the explicit things Charlotte was thinking inside of her head.

"Stupid dog," Charlotte huffed. "You just love making my life difficult, don't you?"

She pecked Lily Belle on the nose affectionately, and this in turn caused the dog to begin licking her face. Charlotte was so preoccupied defending herself against her dog's kisses that she didn't notice the group of teenage boys huddled together on a front porch, watching her every move.

The boys, who by now had all noticed the girl lugging a giant dog down the street, were watching her intently. Not only did she not dress like the type of girl to live in this area, she had the air of a girl raised in a social status, that much was obvious from even the way she walked.

"Who do ya think she is? Never seen that broad 'round before." Keith "Two-Bit" Mathews said, not bothering to lower his voice as the girl walked by.

"No idea. Reckon she's in the wrong part of town, though. That girl's the biggest Soc I ever seen. Look how she's dressed." Steve Randle commented, and the boys fell silent as they examined the girl.

The only boy not seemingly infatuated with the mysterious girl just on the other side of the fence was Dallas Winston.

"What d'ya think, Dally? You gonna go after her or what?"

Sodapop Curtis wiggled his eyebrows at his friend. He was the only one besides Johnny who could get off with teasing the boy, and that was only due to his infectious smile.

Dallas only rolled his eyes. He lit another cigarette without taking his eyes off the girl. She was decent looking enough, he supposed. Dallas would even go as far as to call her hot. Or at least from the back she was. The broad had curves that didn't leave much, if anything, to the imagination, and her dark glossy hair was brushed neatly and fell to her breasts. She was a Soc, though, and Dallas didn't make a habit of bedding Socs. He'd had enough to know that they weren't wild or exciting, and he grew bored with them after awhile. Still, the girl looked hot enough that he might just make an effort to find her later on, maybe with a few drinks in her to loosen her up.

"Do ya think we should go talk to her?" Ponyboy Curtis, the youngest of the group, said to Johnny Cade.

He, along with the other guys, had noticed the girl's body, Dallas was sure.

"You're a little too young for her, Pony," Two-Bit sniggered, ruffling the boy's hair good naturedly. "And 'sides, you really think Darry'll let you have a girl? Fat chance."

The girl must have heard the boys' laughter, because she turned around suddenly and set down her large dog. She stared at them for several seconds, most likely trying to decide if the boys were going to come after her. The guys were unusually quiet, waiting to hear whatever the girl had to say.

"Hey there," she approached the fence, taking off her ridiculously large sunglasses. "I'm Charlotte Notting. I'm new to town, and well, I got a little lost. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I borrow your telephone? I'd just be a moment, I promise." The girl, Charlotte, bit her lip nervously.

Damn, the girl could talk. Dallas had stopped listening after a few seconds, and he was glad he did. Charlotte's voice wasn't exactly unpleasant, but it was high-pitched and slightly shrill, and from the speed at which she spoke she could become real annoying real fast.

Soda, on the other hand, didn't seem put out by her at all. He grinned brightly at the girl and bounded down the steps to unlock the fence.

"Sure thing, doll! Come on in. My name's Sodapop, but you can call me Soda. This here is Two-Bit Matthews, Steve Randle, my younger brother, Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade, and Dallas Winston."

All of the guys raised their hands and smiled in greeting to Charlotte, already putting on their best behavior. Except for Dallas, of course. He only took another drag of his cigarette and appraised the brunette's body up close, making no effort to hide his appraisal. He had to admit, she was smoking. The thought of taking her home was sounding more and more appealing by the minute.

The group got up and followed Soda and Charlotte inside the house. Two-Bit and Dallas walking more slowly, taking a moment to appreciate Charlotte's ass. Like Dallas had thought, she had curves for miles, and her tight little skirt was making his pants uncomfortably tight.

The gang seated themselves comfortably in the living room and began watching the Mickey Mouse cartoon Two-Bit had turned on. Dallas wasn't paying attention to the television program, though. He was watching Soda and Charlotte.

"Thank you so much, Soda. It's awfully kind of you to let me in. I promise I'll only be a moment."

Charlotte blushed, repeating some of her earlier words.

She was no doubt falling prey to Soda's charm and good looks, Dallas noticed. It wasn't uncommon around town; Soda constantly had girls hanging around him. But the boy was committed to his relationship with Sandy, a pretty blonde he'd been going steady with for a while now. How he was, Dallas didn't know. He was more of the hit it and quit it type.

"Don't sweat it. It's not every day we get a pretty gal like you knockin' on our door. "

Soda winked, and Charlotte's face grew even redder.

Dallas watched her intently as she dialed a number, most likely a parents, and started speaking into the receiver.

"Hi, Daddy. It's Charlotte. I got a little lost, but luckily I came across these nice boys who let me use their phone," she glanced around the room and smiled at Soda. "If you could come and get me- Oh. When do you think you and Mother will be done?" Charlotte's smile turned into a frown. "No, no! Go on and shop, I'll be alright, I promise. Yes, I'm sure one of these boys would be more than willing to walk me home. Okay, Daddy. I love you too, bye."

Charlotte hung the phone up with a sigh and turned to face the group. "My parents are about to go out furniture shopping, apparently. If one of you could give me directions, I'll be on my way. I'm sure I can make it back alright; I can't have gone that far."

"Why, what kind of men do you think we are, princess? We got honor! We got courage! We got- we got-" Two-Bit faltered, but soon enough he was grinning again. "We'll walk ya home, no worries."

Charlotte blushed. She must really not be used to so much male attention. Dallas nearly cracked a smile, but he thought better of it and scowled instead.

"What does she need protectin' from, huh? Nobody's gonna hurt a little Soc like her."

Charlotte flinched as if he had hit her. The blonde headed boy was easily the scariest of the group, and most definitely of the same caliber of people her father had warned her about. And then there were his eyes... Those piercing blue eyes could turn a grown man into a quivering mess, she was sure.

Charlotte took a deep breath to steady herself. She was being ridiculous. After all, this Dallas character was just a teenage boy and probably only a year or two older than she was. She had no reason to be afraid of him. Charlotte squared her shoulders and raised an eyebrow at Dallas.

"Excuse me, I have no idea what you just called me, but I can only assume that it was rude. And besides, that's no way to treat a lady. Where are your manners?"

The room grew silent. At first, Charlotte thought that she had offended them, but then the loud, rusty haired boy, Two-Bit, if she remembered correctly, started laughing.

"Shoot, ain't nobody ever talked to Dally like that! Can we keep her, Darry?"

Charlotte turned around, sure she hadn't heard anyone mentioned a boy named Darry, to see yet another person enter the house. He looked to be a few years older than Soda, more a man than a boy, and from their resemblance she assumed him to be Soda and Ponyboy's older brother. He was attractive, not movie-star gorgeous like Sodapop, but Charlotte could see the outlines of muscles underneath his tight black t-shirt.

Charlotte felt herself staring and cleared her throat.

"Um, hi. I'm Charlotte Notting. Your brother let me use your telephone."

"Darryl Curtis, but you can call me Darry. Nice to meet you." Darry said quickly, shaking her hand before disappearing into the kitchen.

Charlotte, left with no other distraction, turned to face Dallas again.

His gaze hadn't shifted in the entire time that she had spoken to Darry, and that unnerved her. He took a long puff of his cigarette and smiled wickedly.

"Who the hell d'ya think you are, sweetheart? I ain't gonna take shit from no Soc, that's for damn sure. And if I wasn't such a good guy, you'd be face down on the carpet-"

"Dally, leave her alone!" The dark haired boy, Johnny, spoke for the first time. "She's just a girl, man. Back off."

And to Charlotte's surprise, Dallas did, though he did throw one more scathing look at her before walking out the front door.

Charlotte turned to thank Johnny, but he was back to sitting quietly on the couch, gaze fixed on the Mickey Mouse cartoon on the TV. Her face fell slightly, but she made a mental note to thank the boy for standing up to Dallas on her behalf later.

"Sorry 'bout that. Dally's okay, really. He's just a little rough around the edges, you see. But he wasn't gonna do nothin'."

Soda smiled apologetically, and Charlotte returned the gesture, letting out a breath she hadn't realized that she was holding.

Two-Bit said something quietly to Soda, who nodded quickly and gestured towards Charlotte.

"We'll take you out for dinner, how's that sound? Make up for ole Dally. We'll show you some of the East side's finest offerin's."

Two-Bit slung an arm around Charlotte's shoulder and began leading her out of the house.

"Really, I'm alright!" she squeaked, ducking out from beneath Two-Bit's arm. "I really should get home-"

"Two-Bit's right. And besides, you just moved in, didn't you? There can't be much food at your place." Darry, who seemed to be the most sane out of the group, Charlotte noticed, said. "Go on, now. I'm gonna hit the sack soon. Be back before twelve, Pony."

And then Charlotte's only hope disappeared into the kitchen again, leaving her alone with five rambunctious boys and one angry one. Two-Bit grabbed Charlotte's arm and practically drug her out of the house, leading her down the sidewalk with the other boys. They were whooping and hollering and carrying on in such a way Charlotte was shocked their neighbors hadn't come out and told them off. Her mother would be appalled.

Somehow, the thought of Jane Notting staring at her daughter, eyes wide and open-mouthed, made Charlotte want to hang out with these boys even more. She was taking a fierce pleasure in defying her parent's standards of suitable company. It felt good, exhilarating, even, to take control of her situation. Getting lost was the best thing to happen to Charlotte all day. Possibly the best thing to happen to her in weeks.

Even if things went terribly wrong and she made a total fool of herself, this was going to be one wild story to tell when she got back to New York, Charlotte thought.


	3. Three: Greaser

Charlotte knew things were going to take a turn, possibly for the worse, the moment she was roped into going out with the boys that she'd just met. When she'd asked to use their telephone, she had no idea that it would turn into a big event like this. After all, where she was from, it was improper for a young woman to go out like she was with a group of rowdy boys. Charlotte wasn't used to receiving this much male attention, that was for sure.

It wasn't that she hadn't had swarms of boys asking for dates when she lived in New York; in fact, it was quite the opposite. Her parents hardly allowed her to date outside of their class at all, and the only boys she was allowed to see had to be friends of the family and their dates had to be chaperoned all of the time. So really Charlotte's experiences when it came to the opposite sex included a handful of chaste kisses and one awkward fondle from Reilly Miller. She was definitely lacking expertise in that area, that was for sure.

"What you thinkin' about there, doll?"

Two-Bit brought Charlotte back to reality as he swung his arm around her shoulders yet again. It was obvious to her that the boy was at the very least lusting after her, but Charlotte didn't play that sort of game.

She was a virgin, like most girls she knew, and planned to stay that way until the right guy came along. Charlotte doubted she would wait till marriage, but she definitely wasn't handing it out to just any guy that she came across. Sex was supposed to be meaningful, and if you just slept with anyone that came along, all of the emotion and value of the act was lost.

"Listen here, Two-Bit. If you try anything funny, my daddy won't be happy with you. And let me tell you, he can shoot real well." Charlotte was only half-teasing.

She had found it easy to be relaxed around the boys in the short time that they'd been talking, and she had even started slipping out of the formal way she spoke around her family. It was odd, but during their brief conversations, Charlotte felt a sense of belonging, probably due to the fact that the gang actually acted interested in her. She had grown used to being pushed to the side in light of her family's recent losses-financial and emotional- and that had taken a toll on her.

Charlotte had been feeling forgotten, invisible, even, during the past few months. The scary thing was, she had grown used to feeling this was. She supposed it was nice, having a group of people invest time in her. Even with all of her mother's constant doting, Charlotte hadn't felt truly wanted in a long time.

"Aw shucks, Charlotte. Is that all ya think of me?" Two-Bit wiggled his eyebrows at the brunette, bringing her back down to reality. He looked pleased when Charlotte blushed and tried to squirm away from him. "Anyway, I'm only into blondes."

Charlotte had just opened her mouth to issue a witty comeback when Ponyboy interrupted them.

"This is The Dingo. Best place around to eat, if you're a Greaser. Might not wanna come here dressed like that alone, though." Ponyboy eyed Charlotte's clean and crisp outfit.

The large group sat down at a booth in the corner. Ponyboy, Soda, and Steve squeezed in on one side, and Charlotte was forced to sit squished between Two-Bit and Dallas on the other. Johnny pulled up a chair to the booth and sat backwards in it. Charlotte tried to stay as far away from Dallas as possible, but that required her to lean on Two-Bit, and she definitely didn't want to do that. So, her only option was to sit as still as possible and hope her breathing didn't offend Dallas too much.

"Hey, Pony?" Charlotte said tentatively, interrupting the intense conversation about cars that the boys were having. They all stopped talking and looked at Charlotte expectantly.

"Yeah?"

He looked a little uncomfortable to have been addressed directly by her. Charlotte supposed it was because she was an outsider in this group. That was obvious, and completely understandable, to her.

"Earlier, when you talking, you mentioned something I wasn't familiar with. A Greaser. What does that mean?" Charlotte bit down on her lip, worried about looking stupid.

There was complete silence in which all of the boys exchanged surprised looks. Charlotte blushed, uncomfortable with all of the attention being once again focused on her. She should have kept her question to herself and asked one of the boys in private later.

"You're kiddin'! You don't know about Socs and Greasers? You must really be from outta town." Steve whistled, shaking his head.

Dallas, on the other hand, looked vaguely annoyed by Charlotte's lack of knowledge. That was something she didn't understand. What had she done to offend him besides call him out on his rude behavior? The blonde boy was acting like she'd killed his dog, for God's sake.

"Well, princess. Let's get this straight. You're a Soc, meanin' you're a snobby, rich bitch who thinks you're above us poor kids just 'cause you drive a fancy car and live in a big house on the right side of town. We're Greasers. Hoods. Delinquents. 'Round here, if you ain't a Soc you ain't nothin'. " Dallas took a deep drag from his cigarette. "So why don't you march your skinny ass right outta here-"

"What can I get y'all?"

An older woman looking to be in her forties approached the table. She flipped open a notepad and looked expectantly at the group.

While everyone else ordered, Charlotte contemplated Dallas' words. If what he said was true, and taking the fact that the other boys hadn't interrupted him into consideration, she really was a Soc. And from the way Dallas spoke of Socs, they were despised by these Greasers. There were two sides to every story, Charlotte knew, and the Greasers probably caused some of their trouble themselves.

"What can I get you?"

The waitress was staring at Charlotte, looking utterly disinterested as she tapped her pen against her notepad. Charlotte blushed again and quickly scanned the menu.

"I'll take a hamburger and a diet coke, please."

As soon as the waitress was out of earshot, Soda began speaking.

"Like Dal was sayin', there's a lotta bad blood between Socs and Greasers..."

He launched into an in-depth story about all of the things the two groups did to each other, and Charlotte couldn't believe what she was hearing. It seem ever impossible to her that things were like this here.

But, her parents had warned her of the roughness of the town. Though Charlotte had brushed it off as an overbearing parental thing, she now thought their words might hold some truth. This town was divided in two by money and social status, and when Charlotte thought about it, it wasn't much different than New York.

Then, the food arrived steaming hot and smelling delicious, and all conversation ceased for several minutes. The boys inhaled their food within minutes in the way that boys do. After getting the okay from Charlotte, Two-Bit started in on the her fries as well. She didn't mind; in all honesty, they were kind of soggy.

"So where're you from?"

Charlotte smiled gratefully at Johnny when he started up the conversation again. She had gained a soft spot for the boy after he defended her against Dallas earlier.

"New York. Mother and Daddy grew up here in Tulsa, but when Daddy started his company they moved out there. I've lived in New York all my life."

Charlotte smiled as she remembered her beloved city.

"New York? You musta' seen lots of tuff stuff out there!"

Johnny looked excited, and Charlotte got the impression that he'd never been far outside of Tulsa. She chewed on her lip as she thought about Johnny's question.

"Not really. I lived in Manhattan. Compared to other places it's pretty tame. But my parents have always kept me really sheltered, so I wouldn't really know."

Charlotte picked at a fry to keep herself busy. Admitting how little she knew and had seen was kind of embarrassing, especially compared to what these boys probably saw every day. Charlotte only hoped Dallas would keep his mouth shut. But, no sooner than she had thought it, Dallas opened his mouth.

He snorted and shook his head. "Figures. A girl like you wouldn't make it out there."

Charlotte froze. Her entire body seized up, and for a brief second, she couldn't breathe. Dallas' cruel words brought back a long-since suppressed memory, one from the Emma box in her brain. Emma had said almost the exact same thing to her on the day she died, the day that everything had gone horribly wrong...

 _"Come on, Em! Mother and Daddy won't be home for hours! And besides, Justine just wants to go to the theater," Charlotte paused, smirking at her older sister. "It's not like we're robbing a bank or something"_

 _Emma only huffed. "Charlotte, it's nearly nine-thirty! It doesn't matter if you're on the upper east side or not, New York is a dangerous place at night, you know that. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you."_

 _Charlotte resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Normally, she would agree with her older sister, but tonight, she wanted to do something reckless, something fun for a change. Their parents were at a charity event and probably wouldn't return home until the early hours of the morning, giving Charlotte and Emma the run of the place for the evening._

 _Charlotte had-unsuccessfully- been trying to convince Emma for over an hour to go with her to see a movie with their friends Justine and Olivia, but Emma had been stubborn in her decision. She didn't want to get in trouble, Emma had insisted, and besides, they could go see a movie any day._

 _But that was beside the point. The thought of sneaking out was one that had never occurred to Charlotte before, but she very much liked the idea of it. Their parents would never know, and they would be back in two hours, tops. Easy._

 _"Please, Emma, don't you want to have just a little fun?"_

 _Charlotte crossed and uncrossed her legs as she waited for her sister's answer. The older girl was biting her lip and running a hand through her hair, something she only did when she was agitated or annoyed. Charlotte had a feeling that Emma was a little bit of both._

 _"Charlotte!" Emma eventually shouted, throwing her hands in the air. "Don't you get it? A girl like you-like us- won't make it out there on our own!"_

 _Charlotte had muttered a few choice words at her sister before grabbing her coat and slamming the front door behind her as she left. She had been so angry that night, angry enough to accidentally knock over a candle. Angry enough to leave her sister alone in that house._

 _Angry enough to be the reason her sister died._

"Charlotte? Are you okay?"

Charlotte jumped out of her skin. She realized with a start that the entire table was staring at her, and she blush profusely. Tears were pricking at her eyes, and the last thing Charlotte wanted to do was spill her dark secret to a bunch of strangers.

Instead, Charlotte went on fright or flight instinct, and fled.

"Two-Bit, would you mind getting up for just a second? I need to use the washroom."

Two-Bit complied, and Charlotte shot out of her seat and darted into the bathroom. She knew if the guys saw her crying she would have no shot at making friends with them. Charlotte blotted at her eyes with a tissue and tried to collect herself.

Crying wouldn't make Emma come back, she knew. Blaming herself wouldn't either. Charlotte had confessed to her mistake a few days after Emma had died, and though her parents swore that they didn't resent her, she wasn't so sure.

Sometimes, she would catch her mother looking at her over a cup of coffee, sadness and despair in her eyes. And sometimes, Charlotte would see her father staring at the photo of Emma he kept in his wallet, tears gathering in his eyes as he did so. As much as they tried to deny it, some part of them had to blame Charlotte...

Charlotte looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her wet mascara was clumping together on her eyelashes, and her cheeks were a little too pink, but she didn't really think she looked as if she'd been crying. Charlotte washed her hands, blotted her face once more, and was getting ready to leave when she heard footsteps approaching.

There was a knock on the door. "Charlotte? You okay?" It was Sodapop.

Charlotte took a deep, calming breath before throwing the door open.

"Of course! I'm just grand, Soda. My hands felt greasy from the food, that's all."

Even though Charlotte had plastered on a smile, she could tell Soda wasn't buying it.

"Sorry about Dally... Again. He's had it rough his whole life. He doesn't know how to be nothin' but mean. It ain't personal."

Charlotte decided to let Soda believe that Dally was the reason she got upset, rather than explain to him what was really going on. And then he swung an arm around her shoulder, and Charlotte knew from that moment on she could count on Soda as a friend.

On the way back to the booth, Soda smiled his movie-star smile at the brunette girl and tried his best to cheer her up. When the pair got within ear-shot of the group, they could hear that Two-Bit and Dally were having an intense discussion.

"I just don't see why you're foolin' with her, man! She's not gonna sleep with you, Two-Bit." Dallas snapped.

"So? I like her, Dal. And I can tell Soda and Johnny do too. What harm'll it do to keep her 'round?"

Charlotte flushed when she heard Two-Bit defend her. It was nice to know he wasn't just being kind to her out of pity or his own ulterior motives.

"I think it's 'bout time we get Charlotte home. Come on,"

Soda threw a few dollars down on the table, and when Charlotte tried to protest, he only grinned at her.

"Soda, come on! We've only just met, I couldn't possibly expect you to pay for me-"

Soda cut Charlotte off. "Aw, hush doll. Next time you can take the check, cool?" He winked.

"Fine, Soda. But I will pay you back!" Charlotte turned to Two-Bit. "We have to go back and get Lily Belle, you know." She reminded him.

The blonde boy threw his arm around Charlotte's shoulders yet again, but this time she didn't really mind. She was almost used to the gesture now, and she accepted his body warmth gratefully. The temperature had fallen rapidly as the night wore on.

"Don't worry, Charlotte. We'll get your mutt."

Two-Bit squeezed Charlotte's shoulder playfully, extracting a grin from the girl.

"I'll have you know, Mr. Mathews, my Lily Belle is a pure-bred chocolate lab! And I've got the papers to prove it." Charlotte said smugly, ducking out of the way as Two-Bit tried to ruffle her hair.

When the group reached the Curtis house, Charlotte ran ahead to greet her dog. She picked up Lily Belle's pink leash from where she'd draped it over the fence and attached it securely to the dog's collar before turning back to the boys.

"So, which one of you gentleman is going to walk me home?"

Charlotte secretly hoped it was Two-Bit or Soda, as she'd grown to like those two the most over the past few hours.

Surprisingly, the boy to answer Charlotte's question first was not Two-Bit or Soda, but Dallas.

"I will, I guess. I gotta go that way anyway to get to Buck's."

Dallas' face was as cold and indifferent as ever. Charlotte pursed her lips, too tired to argue with him, but she secretly hoped that one of the other boys would do so for her. Sure enough, Two-Bit and Dallas got in a heated discussion about which one of them was to walk Charlotte home.

In the end, Dallas won, and Charlotte had a sneaking suspicion that he always got what he wanted. She had to admit that Dallas had made the most logical argument, and it would save Two-Bit and Soda from having to go out of their way, so Charlotte had begrudgingly accepted, though she wasn't happy with the agreement.

Besides, what could possibly go wrong?


	4. Four: Trouble

Charlotte regretted agreeing to Dallas' offer to walk her home the second she was out of sight of the Curtis' place.

Dallas made her nervous, that much was painfully obvious. But Charlotte also hadn't taken into consideration the fact that she was three miles from home, and it was cold outside, and she didn't have a jacket. And Dallas, unlike Two-Bit, wouldn't sling his arm around her shoulders to help keep her warm. So Charlotte resorted to wrapping her arms around herself and shivering quietly as she walked alongside Dallas.

The towheaded boy hadn't spoken a word to Charlotte since they began walking, and that had been over ten minutes ago. The only noises in the still night was that of the trees rustling with the breeze and Lily Belle's collar jingling. The dog, who didn't take well to most strangers, had become very affectionate towards Dallas. Lily Belle was walking alongside him, nudging his leg with her nose whenever he stopped petting her.

Charlotte smiled in spite of herself. Dallas didn't at all seem like the type of boy who would have a secret love for animals. But, whenever Charlotte turned away, his hand would find the dog's head and he would pet her absently.

Charlotte was just about to find an excuse to pop inside a convenience store and try calling her house when a car horn sounded, interrupting the quietness of the night. She nearly jumped out of her skin, but then laughed quietly at her silliness. It was, after all, just a car. Nothing to be frightened of.

But Dallas wasn't laughing.

The boy had sworn under his breath when the car had honked, and Charlotte had just assumed that he had done so out of fright, but now she wasn't so sure. She watched, wide eyed, as Dallas reached into his pocket and pulled out something.

She realized with a start that it was a switch blade.

Charlotte's heart was pounding so loud that she was sure everybody within a ten mile radius could hear it. She wanted to speak, demand an explanation from Dallas, but no words would come out. Instead, Charlotte turned around and spotted a car, headlights off, driving slowly behind them. That's when she realized the severity of the situation.

"Dallas?," Charlotte paused, finding her voice. She cleared her throat before continuing. "Do you know those boys?"

Dallas made a gesture for her to shut up, and Charlotte clamped her mouth shut immediately. Besides, one look at Dallas' face told her he didn't like whoever was behind the wheel of that car. She only clutched her dog's leash more tightly in her hand and prayed that Lily Belle would stay quiet.

The car that had been tailing Charlotte and Dallas came to an abrupt stop a few feet behind them. Three boys climbed out of the vehicle. They looked to be around Dallas' age, possibly a little older. They were dressed, Charlotte noticed, in rather nice sports jackets and slacks. They looked as if they'd just come from a formal dinner party or night out. Charlotte couldn't help but to compare them to many of the higher-class boys she knew from back home.

But as they came closer, Charlotte knew that they weren't anything like the good boys she'd grown up with in New York. Even from a distance she could tell that they were drunk, and that was before she noticed the beer bottle that the tallest of the three boys was holding. They were dangerous, all right, perhaps not in the same way as Dallas, but as the group of boys came sauntering forward, Charlotte knew something terrible was about to happen.

"Dallas," Charlotte whispered again, trying to catch the boys attention.

"Goddammit, shut up!" Dallas hissed, and then he moved towards the group of boys, a look of calm coolness on his pale face.

Charlotte watched in sickened awe as Dallas approached the boys. He was outnumbered three to one, but that didn't even seem to faze him. In fact, he looked more confident than ever. Dallas held his switchblade casually at his side, but Charlotte saw him tighten his grip slightly.

"What're you doing down here, greaser? This is our territory."

The boy with the beer sneered, swaying slightly on his drunken feet. The other two laughed as if he'd told the funniest joke they'd ever heard.

"You lookin' for a fight, boys?"

Dallas' voice was low and deadly, so quiet that Charlotte could barely hear him.

Charlotte used her free hand to tug at her hair nervously. She wasn't sure what was about to happen, only that if Dallas were to lose this fight, she was terrified of what these three boys would do to her. She had absolutely no chance of outrunning them, that was for sure, and Lily Belle wouldn't be able to do much damage; she wasn't a fighting dog. Charlotte could only hope that there was someone nearby that could hear her scream.

The tall boy began speaking, grabbing Charlotte's attention.

"Think you can take us? Boys, why don't we teach this piece of shit a little lesson-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Dallas delivered a clean punch that sent him down onto his knees. The other two boys stared in shock at their fallen leader before springing into action. A scuffle ensued for several minutes, in which Dallas managed to hold his own. He had only suffered a few minor hits so far, but then one of the boys, the brunet one, punched Dallas hard in the stomach.

While Dallas was bent over, trying to catch his breath, the brunet grabbed Dallas around the waist with one arm and held his neck up with the other, and the other boy snatched Dallas' blade out of his hand.

"Not so tough now, are ya? Serves you right to mess with us."

He laughed and held the switchblade up to Dallas' neck.

Dallas was struggling in the brunet's arms, but the boy had an iron-tight grip on the greaser. Charlotte watched in stricken horror as the second boy brought the blade down, making a thin, bright red line across Dallas' neck. She could see a few droplets of blood run down his neck and disappear beneath his shirt. If they pressed even just the tiniest bit harder, Dallas could be dead within minutes.

She felt sick.

Charlotte knew she had to do something, and fast. She began looking around wildly for a moment and then picked up a rock off the ground and threw it as hard as she could at the brunet boy's head.

He let out a yowl of pain and released Dallas, whirling around to find the culprit behind the attack. Dallas took advantage of his momentary lapse in attention and hit him on the side of the head, effectively knocking him out.

Dallas and Charlotte locked eyes for a moment, the silence seeming so out of place after all of the chaos. Then, the ring leader of the little group rose unsteadily. He looked back and forth between the two for a moment and took in Charlotte.

"Pretty little Soc girl, huh? What're you doing on this side of town, sweetheart? What I would love to do with you-"

Dallas started towards the Soc, but his friend clapped him on the shoulder and shouted, "Damn it, George! Shut the hell up and help me get Hank into the car! Come on!"

This was the last thing Charlotte heard, because moments after the world started spinning and eventually faded to black. She fell.

"Why the hell am I the one gettin' stuck in this mess all the goddamn time, huh? Shoulda let Two-bit take her home. Shoulda known better than to get mixed up with a little Soc like her."

The first thing Charlotte heard when she came to was Dallas' low grumbling. It took her a moment to figure out where she was and what had happened, but then the memories came flooding back to her. The Socs, the fight, and the crude, suggestive comments made towards her... Charlotte shuddered.

If it weren't for Dallas, things could have been much, much worse. If she'd been walking alone, or Dallas had been knocked out... Those Soc boys had been drunk enough to commit unspeakable acts, that she was certain of. And a weak girl alone in an unfamiliar town was the perfect target, Charlotte knew. Dallas had quite possibly saved her life. Scratch that. Charlotte _knew_ he had saved her life.

She quickly gathered that the boy must have carried her to wherever they were once she passed out, and she felt of surge of gratitude towards him. He did have a heart, then, beneath that ice-cold rocky exterior. Or at least that's what she was trying to convince herself.

"You finally awake, then?"

Dallas roughly shook Charlotte's shoulder, causing her to let out an extremely un-ladylike groan.

She blinked several times, gathering her bearings before slowly sitting up. Charlotte was sprawled out on an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room, but that wasn't the first thing that captured her attention. Dallas was standing above her, half-naked without a shirt. There were several small cuts on his body, but one on the corner of his mouth looked rather nasty. And then her eyes found his throat, and the thick, dried blood that was caked there. Dallas was lucky the knife hadn't cut much deeper, because if it had, he would be dead.

Charlotte tore her eyes away from the boy and glanced around the room. It wasn't much, if she were honest with herself. The yellow wallpaper was peeling in places, and it was hardly big enough for a twin-sized bed and a wooden dresser. There weren't many personal artifacts in the space besides a pile of clothes stacked un-neatly in the corner and a pack of cigarettes thrown on the dresser. In fact, if Charlotte hadn't pieced together that this was Dallas' room, she would have assumed that it hadn't been lived in for quite some time.

Charlotte's eyes met Dallas' again and she realized that he was waiting for an answer.

"Oh, yeah. I suppose I'm alright, but a little aspirin would work wonders. Do you happen to have any?"

Before Charlotte had finished speaking there was a glass of water and a white pill in her hands. She wouldn't have admitted it, but she was a little touched by Dallas' kindness. In all honesty, she wouldn't have expected him to take her back to his place and patch her up. It seemed as if it was more in Dallas' character to leave her stranded on the streets and carry on with his business.

"Why the hell did you pass out back there, huh? Had to carry you all the way here."

Dallas huffed. He began wiping roughly at the cuts on his arm again.

Without a second thought Charlotte jumped to sit on her knees on the bed and took the damp cloth out of Dallas' hands.

"Goodness, Dallas. If you do it like that you'll only irritate the cuts more! Do you have any peroxide or anything? You don't want these- and especially that one on your throat- to get infected."

Dallas only laughed harshly.

"What do I look like, princess? I've had worse, it'll be fine. Quit your worryin' Besides, Soda can patch me up later if I need it."

Charlotte held back a retort. Why was Dallas so unwilling to give her a chance? She was trying to save him a trip to the hospital, that was all. But, Charlotte supposed, the bigger question was why did she care? Whatever happened to Dallas Winston would have no impact on her. She'd only just met the boy a few short hours ago, after all.

"Be quiet for a minute. All of your smarting off is causing the cut on your mouth to open again. Just hush for a moment, it won't kill you."

Charlotte began dabbing at Dallas' mouth, scarcely breathing due to her proximity to the boy. She was mere inches away from his face.

After Charlotte was completely satisfied with how the cut on Dallas' mouth looked, she moved on to his neck. This one was a little harder for her to stomach, but Charlotte took a steadying breath and swiped the rag over his neck once, clearing off most of the blood. That made her feel a little better about the seriousness of the injury, so she began applying a little more force.

Dallas had set a box of bandages on the bed, along with a roll of tape. Charlotte, after fretting over the lack of antibiotics for a good five minutes, tore one of the bandages in half and taped it against Dallas' neck gently. It wasn't the prettiest dressing, but it would have to do, given the situation. Charlotte knew without a doubt nothing she could say would convince Dallas to accompany her inside her house to grab proper equipment. She sighed internally, and began cleaning up the dried blood on the boy's chest.

Dallas found his excuse to stare at Charlotte as she worked on his face and neck. She was hot, this he already knew, but he was now noticing other things. Like the light smattering of freckles that she had along her cheeks and nose, and the small scar on the bottom of her chin. He found it funny how her tongue was poking out of her mouth as she focused on cleaning his cuts. It was cute, even.

Dallas jerked back instantly as if he'd been shot. Hell no, he didn't just mentally call a girl "cute". What was with him? Charlotte wasn't that good looking anyway. Sure, she had a nice rack and ass, but all of that was ruined the instant she opened that fat mouth of hers. She annoyed the hell out of him, and he'd only known her for a few short hours.

"Dallas?" Charlotte pulled away from him, dropping the damp cloth onto the bed. "Where's my Lily Belle? Oh no, you didn't leave her out there, did you? She's never been out on her own, Dallas-"

He sighed.

"If you;d shut up for a second I'd tell you. The dog's in the bathroom, I didn't want it shittin' all over my floor. I can't stand cleanin' up after other people's shit."

Dallas wrinkled his nose in disgust and walked out the door.

After a beat, Charlotte rolled her eyes and followed the surly boy out into the hallway. She heard the party before she saw it. The minute she stepped out of the bedroom Charlotte could hear nothing but country music and the loud chatter of drunk voices. It sounded as if it was all coming from downstairs, and the thought made Charlotte queasy. She was extremely nervous at parties, never drinking or joining in on the antics. She hated being surrounded by so many people.

Dallas reappeared, holding Lily Belle's leash. Charlotte rushed towards her beloved lab and knelt down, rubbing her ears affectionately.

"There you are, Lily Belle!" The dog wagged her tail and licked Charlotte's face in greeting.

"C'mon. I'm not in the mood to deal with your folks shit. It's already ten-thirty, past princess' curfew, I bet."

Dallas smirked and ran a hand through his hair. He had shrugged on a muscle shirt and his brown leather jacket while Charlotte was busy greeting her dog and was now standing by the stairs.

As soon as Charlotte stood up, Dallas impatiently started down the staircase, weaving in and out of the drunken swaying bodies easily. Charlotte, on the other hand, was tugging along an incredibly nervous dog and found she was getting a lot more stares than Dallas.

At first, Charlotte assumed this was because of her very Soc-y outfit in a very greaser place, but then she caught snippets of the conversations that were being had in the room. "Upstairs with Dallas Winston"... "Probably slept with him"... "Another one of his whores"...

Charlotte's face burned and she quickened her pace. Who were they to judge her? She hadn't done anything but leave a room with Dallas. That didn't mean anything.

"Dallas! Did you hear what they were all saying about me?"

Charlotte caught up with the boy once they were out of the house and in the front yard.

"The hell does it matter?" He muttered, lighting up a cigarette without so much as a glance towards Charlotte.

What was his problem? And did he constantly have to smoke?

"Why, it matters to me, of course! I'm going to be living here for the next few months, and the last thing I need is a terrible reputation to start off with!" Charlotte snapped in response, rolling her eyes at the boy for the thousandth time that night.

Dallas, instead of looking apologetic, only sneered.

"Me? Fuck you? Hell no, princess. No one's gonna believe that, trust me."

Charlotte's face burned with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. She wasn't sure why, but Dallas' crude comments stung. She knew that she wasn't exactly his type of girl, and she honestly didn't want to be, but it was still rude, nonetheless.

"You know what, Dallas? I think I can find my own way home. Thanks for bringing me here, but trust me, honey, I won't be asking for any more favors. That's for damn sure."

Charlotte spat the last words before turning on her heel and marching away, Lily Belle in tow. She felt satisfied, though a little guilty, until Dallas opened his mouth and retorted.

"Goddamn, you're such a bitch!" Dallas swore, kicking at the dirt at his feet.

For a second Charlotte was afraid she'd crossed a line and he was going to come after her, but for all of his faults, Dallas Winston wouldn't hit a woman. So, she carried on, steadily walking further and further away from the boy who infuriated her so, and Dallas stayed, staring angrily at the spot where he'd last seen her.


End file.
